From Bane to Backbone
by InspiredQuill
Summary: A group of young jedi trainees must be paired in order to complete a project. Eve is stuck with Anakin Skywalker, who seems to hate her. They are thrown together as an epidemic strikes the Temple- fighting disease, fear, and feelings! Bane to Backbone...
1. Chapter 1

Evelyn swung her lightsaber in a clumsy sweep. She cursed her slow progress. The other trainees often giggled at her clumsiness, thinking it to be a joke. She often had to train through the night to keep up with the other Jedi trainees at the Temple. How long could she keep this up before collapsing? She didn't know yet- she was on night six without sleep, though she wasn't without rest. Meditation helped revive her body for short periods of time, but she knew she couldn't last forever.

She spun on her heel and promptly tripped and fell. She gasped for breath on her hands and knees then shoved herself to her feet. Fiery silk cascaded down her back like a waterfall. There was nothing more she could do in this state and so she deactivated her lightsaber, clipping it onto her belt, and left the training room with a hiss of the door. Eve dragged her feet as she passed a marble pillar depicting ancient Masters in meditative trances. She trudged through the dark corridors of the Temple towards her favorite area.

In the Botanical Hall, plants from all sorts of planets thrived with their own specific heat and light settings. Evelyn always found peace among nature. Meditation came easily to her when she was surrounded by green life. She slipped into a quiet meditation among the Katrani flowers, but gave up after a quarter of an hour and left for her bed chambers.

Evelyn scrunched her face in annoyance at the door hiss that woke her up.

"Evelyn, get up unless you wish to be late."

Eve opened a single bleary eye. Fa-Row's circular orange eyes greeted her. The reptilian Jedi trainee had scales the color of light sand, but his hands and feet were like dry leather, lacking scales but providing sharp claws. Dark tan markings ran from his jaw line, coming to points a fingers length in front of his eyes. Two thin, white horns shot from the back of his head almost like the dragons of Traj'im. A dark brown thermal suit kept his body heat at a constant temperature, as he was unable to do so himself. They made adjustments for his particular body by cutting holes in the fabric so the spiky ridges on his back wouldn't be pressed down painfully.

"Thanks, Fa-Row… five more minutes?"

"The five minutes are not yours to have. They are for the Masters who take their time to teach us."

Evelyn grumbled incoherent words then swung her legs to the side of the padded stone sleeping bench.

"You have been practicing at night again."

"Sort of. Don't worry about it so much, though."

"Your eyes and stance give you away. You have made yourself ill, you fool."

"I'm _fine_. I can't afford to miss a session. You know that, so don't give me any of your Kari'issente crap, all right?"

"It is not my decision to make. I will not stand in your way."

Eve pulled on her boots in a hurry, accidentally putting the right boot on her left before realizing her mistake and rushing to fix it. Her golden hair was decorated with wooden beads and forest green strings that wrapped around small groups of hair. Her eyes were drooped with tiredness, but Eve splashed herself with some cold water from the tiny fountain in her room to wash away some redness.

Clipping her belt into place among her robes, she followed her lizard friend out of the room. The pair sprinted to their first class, arriving late and out of breath. Fa-Row rasped out in his deep gravely voice, "We apologize, Master Windu and fellow students."

"It was my fault, Master Windu. I had slept in and Fa-Row woke me so that I would not miss class."

Mace Windu gestured to them to take their place in the lesson. He presented the trainees with instructions for an assignment.

"You are to work in pairs. Each pair will choose their project and complete it after getting approval first. They may be volunteer projects. One pair may aid the conservancy or teach a class. There are many options before you. You all have intelligence, from what I've been told, so use it and come up with an idea in a few moments."

He then paired off the trainees in rapid succession. Evelyn barely managed to catch her partner's name: Anakin Skywalker. She looked around in search of her partner, hoping he or she would somehow know who she was. Her eyes locked with a pair of liquid blue ones. The quiet intensity of the boy's eyes, for he was a human boy, riveted her. She found it hard to look away. However, when the Jedi Master ordered the pairings to get together and work out a project, she looked down at her hands and flushed.

Looking up, she inferred that the blue eyed boy was Anakin Skywalker, since he was moving towards her. He had sandy blond hair and tanned skin that reminded her of the desert. Steeling herself, Evelyn locked eyes once more with the dark boy.

"Evelyn Groves," she stated firmly, her heart jumping to her throat.

"Anakin Skywalker," he murmured. His voice was like the smoothest silk to Arela's ears, deep and low but with something daunting in its manner.

Eve bowed politely, her golden hair parting and spilling into her face. She straightened to find his lip curled in a scowl and his head barely inclined in a nod.

"Well," said Eve uncertainly, "well, what sorts of things do you enjoy?"

"That isn't the topic Master Windu asked us to discuss," Anakin said with a sneer. "If I didn't know any better, _Evelyn_, I'd say you were trying to chat me up."

Eve stiffened, her back straightening in disbelief.

She spat indignantly, "I was _trying_ to find out what you were interested in so that we could perhaps do our project on that, _Skywalker, _but apparently you're too interested in yourself to speak to anyone else."

"You have it all wrong, _Groves_, you didn't-"

But she failed to hear what she didn't do, because Master Windu paused as he passed them and demanded, "What have you chosen for your project? If you tell me you don't have an idea yet because of your bickering, you will both spend half the night doing cleaning duties."

Anakin's mouth was tightly clamped, as if undecided of what to do.

"We want to do our project in the medicinal area, Master Windu. We thought the infirmary would be the best choice for our combined talents." Eve said quickly.

The Jedi Master had to suppress rolling his eyes. The girl was obviously lying. Anakin Skywalker's talents included so many things- but healing was not included. The boy was rash, impatient, insensitive, and resorted to rude remarks or fighting rather than debate. But the infirmary was very short-staffed at the moment… and perhaps Evelyn's fiery spirit could rein in the boy's temper and teach him some patience and compassion. Stars knew the girl had enough compassion for the both of them.

"Approved. Anakin, I trust you will control yourself around Evelyn. And Evelyn, I trust you to do the same. Bickering is not becoming of Jedi."

The pair ducked their heads to hide the flushes of shame creeping onto their faces.

"Yes, Master Windu."

"Yes, sir. Master? What exactly are the criteria for our project? I'm terribly sorry, but I came in late-"

"Obviously."

"As you heard, the objective of this task is to learn to aid the Jedi and the Temple in the most beneficial way, targeted at each pairs particular talents. I _hope_," Mace looked pointedly at Anakin, "that the most beneficial choice has been made, but that remains to be seen."

Later that day, during the mid-day meal, Evelyn saw Anakin sitting alone at a deserted table, eating his lunch slowly, obviously thinking hard about something. As she walked past him, something caught on her foot, and her tray of food almost went in her face as she was unable to catch herself without breaking an ankle. In a split second Anakin had lunged towards Eve, using the Force to catch her lunch and keep it on the tray, and catching her in his arms, less than a foot away from the hard stone floor. Her nose would've smashed if he hadn't caught her.

Evelyn was pulled gently to her feet, and was handed the tray almost instantly. She looked into Anakin's startlingly blue eyes, and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Anakin." His smirk came back- the one that drove her mad sometimes. His tone was not playfully teasing. It was a provocative taunt. "Be more careful next time. Clumsy idiot." She stood still for a second, mouth a little agape, and in the next second, a whipped cream pie was hurled into his face, which then slid down onto his chest, revealing a shocked then outraged glare. Eve gaped for a moment. _She_ hadn't done that… so who did?

A Padawan, from the looks of it, from a few tables away was leering at Anakin. His tray was missing the pie.

"Hey, Skywalker! I think that look suits you. Did you like the pie? I'm afraid it wasn't to my taste."

Indignation bubbled up within Evelyn. She reached behind her and undid the scarf that bound her hair and handed it to Anakin, who took it and wiped his face off. Eve reached out to the Force and released her anger. Then grabbing her pie with the Force, she slammed it into the offending boy's face. The pie slid off, leaving his face covered in cream. The Padawan was not amused. In retaliation, he hurled a Besnian sausage that hit Eve directly in the eye. Instantly, her eye felt consumed by fire.

"AH! My eye!"

The burning was becoming more intense, and tears were rolling down her cheeks while she clutched at her eye. She could barely see Anakin move between her and the other boy. Anakin and the other boy traded insults, and within seconds, the air was filled with food. Eve attempted to block out the noise and flying things around her. Slowly, she gathered the Force around her, forcing the hot sauce out of her eye bit by bit. Her senses became sharp and clear with the Force, and she could sense a poached ice-fish hurtling through the air towards Anakin's head. With a cry, she jumped to her feet and hurled her now-empty tray as hard as she could towards the dangerous object, and knocked it off it's path with a loud crack. Ice exploded all over the floor.

"FREEZE!"

The commanding voice of Master Mace Windu rang out over every ding, crash, or bang. Everybody was instantly as frozen as the former ice-fish.

Needless to say, each and every Padawan and trainee had to clean up the mess until every surface shined. However, once the pupils were dismissed, Anakin and Evelyn walked out together… A tiny bond of friendship surfacing between two very different Jedi.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Number 2 of "From Bane to Backbone." Yeah... Anakin was a little bit of a jerk... But he gets better- a little bit anyway- in this chapter. Grab a box of tissues by the way!

Evelyn walked through the pale light that streamed in through the windows and through the shadows draped across the floor by durasteel walls. Her feet dragged with exhaustion. Her hands could barely clench into fists, but she managed to rub her eyes with them anyway. Calluses and blisters dotted hands rubbed raw from prolonged lightsaber practice.

Eve stopped her sluggish pace altogether, and leaned against the wall. Her eyes closed, and she found she didn't want to open them.

"Groves?"

She didn't have the strength to curse even in her mind.

"What do you want, Skywalker?"

"…You look like a bantha. What have you done to yourself?!"

Evelyn reached up and touched her flushed face. Her trembling fingertips met a sheen of sweat. Her hand traveled to her hair and she found it in disarray. She found she didn't even care.

"Skywalker, can't you at least wait until morning to start insulting me?"

Eve popped an eye open with willpower alone. Her eyelids felt like anchors. Anakin was just standing, his brows forced together to complete a frown. A frown? Was that worry on his face?

"Evelyn, that's not what I meant. When's the last time you got any sleep?"

Evelyn cursed inwardly as she felt her knees buckle. She toppled to the floor in front of Anakin, who immediately bent over her.

"Sithspit, Groves! When's the last time you've even eaten? You're shaking. Groves, why are you trembling?"

"Anakin… I'm cold…"

There was a rustle of fabric and Eve realized Anakin was draping his cloak over her body. She felt Anakin's arms scoop her up and hold her tightly to his chest. He was so warm…

"Anakin?"

"Relax, you're going to be fine. I'm going to take care of you. Everything's going to be all right…"

"Mmmk," Eve mumbled. She tucked her face into his chest, and finally allowed herself to drift to sleep while being carried by her rival, the Chosen One.

Evelyn began to stir when the hiss of the durasteel doors reached her ears. Her eyes popped open when the overwhelming presence of Master Yoda surrounded her. She blinked, and her vision began to clear. Forcing herself into a sitting position, Eve bowed her head as much as she could without making herself dizzy.

"Master Yoda! Did I miss class? I'm so sorry, I must have-"

"Missed many classes, you have," Yoda chided. "Caused illness in yourself, you have. Why?"

Evelyn bowed her head in shame, and felt her face flush in humiliation.

"I- I'm always behind in classes, Master… No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to improve on my fighting techniques. And I'm… Master, I'm so afraid that I won't be chosen as a Padawan in time. And when I realize I'm driven by fear, I fear that I am not what a Jedi should be…"

Yoda's green ears twitched.

"And a Jedi, you are not."

Crushing, agonizing sadness settled over Evelyn's heart like a boulder. Yoda's ears flicked towards her. His eyes swept over her. Eve clenched her fists, and desperately reached for the Force to calm herself. She grasped at it as though it were her lifeline, and felt it flow through her in a powerful current. It's presence was reassuring, and filled her with hope… and an idea.

"Master Yoda, please help me. I refuse to give up on the Jedi. There are still positions I can take at the Temple, right? As a librarian, or-"

"A Jedi, you are not. But a Jedi, you will become."

Evelyn jerked her head up to face the Jedi Master, and vaguely felt tears dripping down her face.

"In time, find your place, you will."

"Master Yoda…"

The little green Jedi tapped his wooden cane on the ground, making the clanking sounds reverberate around the room.

"Much to learn, have you. Learn until collapse, you must not. What good is learning, if unable to use it, hm?"

Evelyn grinned. Yoda always managed to clear her mind and cheer her up.

"I suppose it wouldn't be much good, would it? But how can I use it if I'm unable to learn?"

Yoda let out a bark of laughter, and shook his head in amusement. His laughter followed him out of the room, past a tired looking Anakin Skywalker who entered, carrying a tray of food.

"Anakin… Thank you."

His piercing blue eyes locked with her forest green ones.

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, I know."

"No, you're _really_ an idiot."

"I think you've pointed that out already."

"Look, you have been asleep for three days, and I've been trying to figure out what in the Force we're supposed to do with our project. And I have no idea how to go about doing healing. The most I've ever done is apply bacta patches. So… you help me with that, and I'll help you with dueling."

Anakin reached his hand out to her with a conflicted face, and seemed to be pleading with his eyes. Selaria instantly put her hand in his and shook it with a grin.

"It's a deal, Skywalker."

Later that day, Evelyn caught sight of Anakin eating alone again. A strange feeling grew in her stomach, something akin to sadness. Did he eat alone _every_ day? There didn't seem to be much fun in being the Chosen One… Where's the fun if one's always alone?

She stood and went to go to him, ready to apologize for the inconvenience she had caused him, when she slammed into something and tripped over it. Evelyn's face slammed into the marble floor, and she could feel the stinging that meant tears might be on their way. She glanced to see the cause of her tripping and was startled to see a close friend, Sepp, already in tears. His very presence was sending shocks of terror and grief. Evelyn couldn't understand why she hadn't sensed him, especially as he was so emotionally out of control.

"Sepp, what's wrong? What happened?"

Sepp, two years younger than Evelyn, had always been one of the closest beings in the galaxy to her. He was like a little brother… except the two weren't blood related. Eve watched out for the kid, soothed him when he was upset, gave him advice when he asked for it (and if he was too stubborn to _ask_ for it, she'd still give it to him if she thought he needed it), helped him train, meditate… Eve spent much of her time with him, and keeping the other trainees in line if they tried to push him around. So to see him in tears and in a state of shock shook the girl to the core.

"Fa-Row… Fa-Row i-is in t-the-"

His warm, liquid brown eyes were opened wide, and his breathing was hitched. His face steadily became paler, as did Evelyn's.

"Fa-Row is where, Sepp?"

"_NO!_"

"Sepp!"

His eyes had turned glossy and his vision was focused far away in fear.

"Sepp! Listen to me! It's okay, I'm here. You must not let your fear take over! Breathe it in, then breathe it out! Let the force flow through you, it will help you! You mustn't be afraid- fear leads to the dark side."

But Sepp was gone. Before Eve could blink, the kid had bolted with his fast reflexes, and dashed off somewhere towards his chambers.

As the situation fully hit her, Eve took off at a sprint towards the infirmary. Her emotions were racing, her mind a whirl, her heart pounding fiercely and making her feel weak. Using the force, Eve propelled her body to even faster speeds. Trying to compose herself on the way, she still couldn't stop a few tears leaking out of my eyes.

_Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering_…

Bursting into the infirmary quiet as a mouse, Eve froze to see the most gruesome sight.

There, on a cot, lay Fa-Row, her closest friend, bleeding profusely from gashes all over his body. His face was a sickly color, and his leathery skin was cracked. His stomach was ripped, his legs shredded, and his arms torn. There was nothing left to keep him alive.

His soft orange eye slowly met Evelyn's frightened green ones. The two lifelong friends held their gazes. Contrasting completely to Eve's terrified wide eyes and pounding heart, his eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled weakly, and held his hand out shakily. There were only three claws left…

Evelyn was by his side instantly. Grasping his brutalized form in her arms, she clutched him to her body. She distantly felt herself sob loudly.

"Eve, don't cry. I'm going to the force. It's just another mission for me. Don't cry, Eve, I'm strong enough to handle this. Please be strong enough… for… me?"

"Shh, Fa-Row, you're going to be all right! You're going to get through this! You can't die!"

"Eve," He gasped painfully, "Everybody dies eventually. It's my time. And don't forget I love you. The force supports peace… remember… but it… doesn't deny… love-"

He began convulsing, blood sprinkled from his mouth as he coughed. Even as he died in horrible pain, his spirit sent Evelyn peace, and his face flashed her a rare, fanged smile.

Evelyn held his body close to her, not letting go. He was always the most reasonable of the two. Fa-Row was always calm, and always handled things with a grace that she had always joked was so un-reptilian of him.

Two strong hands, gently but firmly, pulled her stiff fingers away from her friend's corpse. She resisted. Crying out, she flung herself into the being who dared separate her from Fa-Row. She could feel the surprise but deep solemnity from the person. Could it be…?

Two strong arms slowly and cautiously went around her shaking shoulders, and held her. Through her haze, she could make out his force signature anywhere. Anakin Skywalker.

But just then, she didn't care who in all the bloody star systems it was- she just needed to be comforted.

Her knees gave out, and she would have collapsed were it not for Anakin. He simply tightened his hold on her, bringing the grieving girl protectively to him.

She couldn't really make out his mumbled comforts through her pain. What had happened? Her shoulders shook with the force of her internal agony. It was as if she was a huge storm trapped inside a tiny box. It was too much to bear. So she just locked herself inside, and hoped to ride out the disaster…


End file.
